How to Multiply a Cell by a Number in Excel

To multiply a cell by a number in Excel, enter a formula in another cell using an asterisk: if A2 contains 12, type =A2*3 in B2 and press Enter to get 36. You can fill the formula down to calculate more rows, use a cell reference for a changeable multiplier, or use Paste Special to multiply existing values in place. These steps are for Microsoft Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows; Mac and web differences are noted where they matter.

What You’ll Need

An Excel workbook with the number you want to multiply. For a formula, leave an empty cell for the result so the original value remains available.
The number to multiply by. You can type it into the formula or put it in a separate cell if you may want to change it later.
If you plan to change existing values directly, save a copy of the workbook first. Paste Special changes the selected cells, and the original values will be replaced.

Step-by-Step

Select the result cell. Click an empty cell beside or below the value you want to multiply. For example, if the original number is in A2, click B2. Keeping the result in a separate cell protects the source value and makes it easier to check your work.
Enter a multiplication formula. With 12 in A2 and a multiplier of 3, type =A2*3 in B2 and press Enter; the result is 36. The equals sign tells Excel to calculate a formula, and the asterisk is Excel’s multiplication operator. Use the cell address of your own value in place of A2, and replace 3 with the number you need.
Check the displayed result. Confirm that the result makes sense before copying the formula elsewhere. For instance, multiplying a positive number by 3 should produce a value three times as large. If you see the formula itself instead of a number, check the troubleshooting section below; the cell may be formatted as text or the formula may have been entered without the initial equals sign.
Multiply other rows, if needed. If A2:A5 contains 12, 7, 4, and 10, enter =A2*3 in B2. B2 returns 36. Select B2, point to the small square at its lower-right corner (the fill handle), then drag it down to B5. Excel adjusts the reference for each row: B3 calculates 7 times 3 and returns 21, B4 returns 12, and B5 returns 30. You can also double-click the fill handle to fill down alongside a neighboring column of data. Check the last row to make sure the formula filled as far as you intended.
Use a separate cell for a multiplier you may change. Enter 3 in C1. If A2 contains 12, enter =A2*$C$1 in B2; the result is 36. The dollar signs make C1 an absolute reference, so it stays fixed when you fill the formula down. Without them, Excel would change C1 to C2, C3, and so on. To create the fixed reference while editing a formula, select the cell reference and press F4 on Windows. On Mac, the shortcut can depend on the keyboard settings; you can also type the dollar signs directly.
Fill the formula down while keeping the multiplier fixed. With 12 in A2, 7 in A3, and 3 in C1, fill =A2*$C$1 from B2 down to B3. B2 returns 36 and B3 returns 21. The row reference A2 changes to A3, while $C$1 remains unchanged. If you copy the formula across columns instead, check that the source reference still points to the intended values; you may need to lock a column or row as well as the multiplier cell.
Replace existing values only when that is what you want. On desktop Excel, type the multiplier, such as 3, in a blank cell and copy it. Select the cells to change, then choose Home > Paste > Paste Special. In the dialog, choose Multiply under Operation and select OK. For example, if the selected cell contains 12 and the copied cell contains 3, the selected value becomes 36. This operation changes the original cells rather than creating a separate result column, so check the selection carefully before confirming. On Mac, use the Home tab’s Paste Special command and choose Multiply in the dialog. Paste Special operation options may not be available in Excel for the web; use a formula in a spare column there, then copy the results and paste values if you need to replace the originals.
Save and verify. Compare a few results with a quick mental calculation or a calculator, especially when working with a large range. Save the workbook after confirming the output. If you used a formula, the result will update when its source value changes; if you used Paste Special, the changed numbers are stored as values.

Common Mistakes

Using the letter x instead of an asterisk. Excel formulas use * for multiplication. Typing an x between cell references will not work as a multiplication operator.

Forgetting the equals sign. A formula must begin with =. Without it, Excel may treat what you typed as text rather than calculate it.

Locking the wrong reference. When you fill a formula down, an ordinary reference changes to match the new row. If the multiplier is in one fixed cell, use an absolute reference such as $C$1. Conversely, locking the source cell by mistake can make every row calculate from the same original value.

Overwriting source data unintentionally. A formula in a separate column preserves the input; Paste Special Multiply replaces selected values. Before using it, confirm that the copied multiplier is correct and the selected range contains only the cells you intend to change. A backup is especially useful when the range is large.

Misreading number formatting. A cell formatted as currency, a percentage, or a rounded number may display fewer decimal places or a symbol, even though its underlying calculated value is different. Check the formula bar or increase the displayed decimal places before assuming Excel calculated incorrectly.

Tips

Use a dedicated multiplier cell when the factor may change. Changing that one cell recalculates every formula that refers to it, which is more reliable than editing the same typed-in number in many formulas. Give the multiplier cell a label, such as Multiplier, so you or another workbook user can identify its purpose later.

For a quick one-off calculation, typing the number directly into the formula is convenient. For a repeated calculation, a separate cell is easier to maintain. Keep the formula column clearly labeled, such as Adjusted Value, and do not replace the original data until you have checked the results.

When filling formulas, use the fill handle for a short list or double-click it when an adjacent column has continuous data. Excel usually fills to match the neighboring data, but blank rows can stop the fill early. Scroll to the bottom of the range and inspect the final formula rather than assuming every row was included.

If you need to keep the calculated results but remove the formulas, copy the result cells and use Paste Special > Values. This leaves the displayed numbers in place without keeping links to the original inputs. On Windows, the Paste Special dialog also offers keyboard navigation, but the exact shortcut sequence may vary by Excel settings. You can use the ribbon command instead.

Troubleshooting

The formula appears in the cell instead of the answer. Make sure the entry starts with an equals sign. If it does, select the cell, choose Home > Number Format and change Text to General, then edit the cell by pressing F2 and Enter. If the entire worksheet is showing formulas, toggle Show Formulas from the Formulas tab, or press Ctrl+` on Windows. On Mac, use Control+` where that key is available, or use the Formulas tab’s Show Formulas command.

Excel shows an error or does not calculate. Check that the referenced cell exists and contains a number, and that the formula uses an asterisk between the references or values. If calculation is set to manual, choose Formulas > Calculation Options > Automatic, then recalculate. A text value that looks like a number can also cause trouble; re-enter it as a number or convert the affected cells to numeric values.

The filled results all use the same source value. Look at the formula in a lower row. If the source reference has dollar signs, such as $A$2, Excel will keep pointing to A2. Remove the dollar signs from the part that should change by row. Keep them on the multiplier reference if that cell must stay fixed.

The results are unexpected after Paste Special. Undo immediately with Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac if you changed the wrong cells and have not made other changes that you need to keep. Then check that you copied the multiplier cell before opening Paste Special, and select only the intended numeric range. If Undo is no longer available, restore the saved copy or re-enter the original values; Paste Special does not preserve the old values in a separate column.

The answer looks too rounded. The displayed number format may hide decimal places. Select the result cells and use Home > Increase Decimal to show more digits, or open Format Cells to choose a suitable number format. Formatting changes what is displayed, not the underlying multiplication calculation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What symbol do I use to multiply in Excel?

Use the asterisk, *. For example, with a number in A2, a formula in another cell can multiply that value by 3. Excel does not use the letter x as its multiplication operator.

How do I multiply an entire column by one number?

Put the multiplier in a cell, enter a formula in the first result row that refers to the row’s value and locks the multiplier cell with dollar signs, then fill the formula down. Check the first and last result to confirm the references and range are correct.

Can I multiply cells without making a formula?

Yes. In desktop Excel, copy a cell containing the multiplier, select the values to change, and choose Home > Paste > Paste Special, then Multiply. This changes the selected values in place. For a safer, auditable calculation, use a formula in a separate column instead.

How do I multiply by a percentage?

Enter the percentage as a percentage in a cell or type its decimal equivalent as the multiplier. For example, 10% is the same as 0.10. Multiplying by 10% returns one-tenth of the original value; it does not increase the value by 10%. To calculate an amount plus a 10% increase, the multiplier would be 1.10.

Will my formula update if I change the original number?

Yes. A formula that refers to a cell recalculates when that cell’s value changes, provided Excel is set to calculate automatically. Values changed with Paste Special are not linked to the original input, so they will not update when that input changes.

Try it: the Date Difference Calculator: days, months, years and weekdays between two dates, with the DATEDIF formulas.

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Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

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